Critical reviews (by Lutheran pastors, educators and church musicians) of books and other resources for Christian use from a perspective rooted in Holy Scripture, the Lutheran Confessions and good common sense. We ask, "Is it worth the money to buy, the time to read and study, the shelf space to store, and the effort to teach?"

The wide range of GIA
editors, both full-time staff members and those working on specific
projects, have been working overtime to develop new hymnals for the
twenty-first century Church. Each of these projects will reflect the
high standards the Church has come to expect from GIA hymnals. Each will
have a unique focus designed to meet the needs of diverse American
Catholic communities. All are truly comprehensive hymnals (featuring
musical diversity), two are designed to serve multicultural communities;
and one is the first-ever cover to cover bilingual, English-Spanish
hymnal (Publisher's press release, posted on August 09, 2010).

LHP ReviewWorship: A Hymnal and Service Book for Roman Catholics (Third Edition, Choir Edition). Chicago: GIA Publications, 2001. Cloth. $23.00. www.giamusic.com (LHP)Intended for Roman Catholic parishes, Worship, Third Edition is a unique thing—a hardcover hymnal instead of a disposable newsprint quarterly missal. That switch alone would teach a congregation much about our Christian heritage in Church music as well as catechize them toward a better theology of worship.

There are Lutheran influences evident from a Lutheran Worship psalm tone for Psalm 6, liturgical music by Richard Hillert (271, 458), the LBW version of “From Heaven Above” (388), Martin Franzmann’s “Thy Strong Word” (511), “All Glory Be to God on High” (527), and even “Weary of All Trumpeting” (635). Lutherans will also recognize the Vajda/Schalk collaboration, “Now the Silence” (668). Martin Luther’s most famous hymn appears as the three stanza “God Is Our Fortress and Our Rock” (576), a 1982 Michael Perry translation copyrighted by Hope Publishing Company.

Particularly impressive is an index of Hymns for the Church Year (1205), building upon the Lutheran contribution of the “Hymn of the Day.” There are many hymns on the list we have in common throughout the Three-Year Series.

After an initial section for the Liturgy of the Hours, the psalter is supplemented with numerous canticles and a first-hand view of the Rite for Christian Initiation of Adults (100). I do not believe the Bible’s theology of Holy Baptism supports such a piecemeal initiation process, but Lutherans can learn how to better connect a catechumen (youth or adult) with the congregation throughout and following catechesis.

Reconciliation (125) is a good Gospel word for “Confession and Absolution,” yet penitents should be taught that confession is made for the sake of absolution.

The Order of Mass, Divine Service, begins on 229. Much will be familiar to Lutherans. While I personally like seeing the Nicene Creed beginning “We believe…” because that is the original text, the Apostles’ Creed (239) should remain “I” rather than “We” for the same reason. Additional musical settings (and parts of settings) follow.

Worship is ahead of its time by continuing to include Latin-language liturgical music (340ff). Pope Benedict would be pleased. Even in Bach’s day, Lutherans still used Latin texts (at least occasionally) for the Daily Office and Divine Service. “O Come, All Ye Faithful” (392) is also presented as “Adeste Fideles,” memorably sung by Bing Crosby. “Lift Up Your Heads, O Mighty Gates” (363) is a much better text to pair with the tune TRURO than with the weak Easter text, “Christ Is Alive” (466).

A section for liturgical propers begins on 765. Users of LW and LBW will note similarities to the front of those hymnals. For Palm Sunday and the Triduum, Holy Week, resources are notably and appropriately expanded.

Prayers of the Individual and Household (1152) are extensive and are weakened only by invocations of saints and angels rather than Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

An index of Scripture Passages Related to Hymns (1204) will be a welcome feature for regular users of the hymnal as well as other Christians mining it for resource suggestions.

I also liked the off-white paper inside and ribbon to the visually and tactile-rich red cover.

QBR requested a review copy of this hymnal because it is a Choir Edition. It makes me more thankful for the hymnals I’ve used at worship over the years, The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutheran Worship, and Lutheran Service Book, all hymnals with the majority of the music presented in four-part (choir-like) harmony. LSB was supposed to have a “Choir Edition.” It probably won’t ever appear. I’m still curious, though. Given the similarities between this Worship: Choir Edition and the final form of LSB, what would a LSB: Choir Edition have looked like?

Yes, there is a greater expense to this choir version than the usual pew copies of Worship, Third Edition, but I encourage parishes that are considering a purchase of this hymnal to buy all choir editions, or to buy only choir editions from this point on. If you buy them, and teach the people, they will sing! Harmony is a beautiful thing.

In addition, I would encourage GIA to include harmony parts on as many hymns and psalms as possible in Worship, Fourth Edition.

PJC

With the arrival of Worship—Fourth Edition, let's consider how GIA got here:

The tradition of Worship hymnals began in 1971. Worship II and Worship—Third Edition
followed in 1975 and 1986, respectively. Together, they account for the
greatest number of GIA hymnals used in Catholic parishes over these
years, with hundreds of thousands of the latest edition still in use. It
is fitting, then, that our newest top-of-the-line hymnal should be its
fourth edition. Lots will be new! Unlike its two most recent
predecessors, the Fourth Edition will be comprehensive, much in the
style of GIA's RitualSong. While it will include a substantial
collection of the finest organ-based hymnody, it will also include the
best-loved contemporary music, and shorter "world music" pieces; a
significant amount of the core material will have Spanish translations.
The single feature about which we are most enthusiastic, though, is its
wide-range exploration of hymn texts by modern writers—those
writing for today's church. For immediate accessibility, a majority of
these hymns will be matched with well-known, well-loved tunes.

The five editors—Kelly Dobbs Mickus, senior editor, Robert Batastini,
Fr. James Chepponis, Charles Gardner, and Fr. Ronald Krisman—have
devoted a tremendous amount of energy and expertise to assembling an
outstanding body of hymns matched to each Sunday of the three-year Lectionary.
While these hymns will be distributed thorughout the book according to
thematic category, the Hymn of the Day calendar will point directly to
an exceptionally appropriate hymn for each Sunday and solemnity of the
church year, with tunes that are likely to be familiar.(Publisher's press release)

We had the opportunity to see different volumes of the Worship library than last time. While we appreciated a fuller music edition in the choir edition of W3, imagining what a Lutheran Service Book: Choir Edition could have been, the Three-Year Lectionary Readings printed in the back of our review pew copy of W4 remind us of the days when German Lutheran hymnals had room for the Historic Lectionary readings, the creeds, Small Catechism, and an account of the destruction of Jerusalem. Having God's Word in the ears and eyes of His people at liturgy is a great thing!Lutherans will note a couple hymns by Lutheran other Lutherans including "This Is the Feast" and "A Mighty Fortress." Hymns for the Church Year (1231ff) profitably carry beyond Lutheranism the idea of the Hymn of the Day. I am curious/concerned about a Dakota hymn included in the collection (575). The text needs context and more Christian specificity to avoid any appearance of unionism or syncretism.The durably-constructed organ edition has guitar chords on some hymns, songs, and liturgical pieces. It could be used by as a lead sheet edition by a keyboard player, guitarist, or even by an LCMS guitarist in conjunction with Lutheran Service Book. (Search for hymn tune titles to find music in common between the two hymnals.)In the same way the available Bb edition for trumpet, clarinet, tenor sax could be used in conjunction with LSB for Lutheran worship. We appreciated reading the following in the introduction to the comprehensive spiral-bound single volume:

Two principal approaches have been used in developing this collection. For classical, organ-based hymns, the instrumental part is most often in the form of a trumpet descant. For piano/guitar-based songs, the instrumental part is most often conceived as woodwind material. All parts, of course, are theoretically playable on any melody instrument, subject to range and technical feasibility. In order to accommodate the range of various instruments, the parts have frequently been printed in octaves.

As a trumpet player, I will make use of the Bb Instrument volume of Worship: Fourth Edition! As I am a Lutheran reviewing a worship resource intended for Roman Catholic parishes, my previous criticisms and commendations (noted above in our 2008 review) are hereby repeated.

Gather—Third Edition

Though having a somewhat shifted emphasis from Worship, our Gather hymnals, especially the green Gather Comprehensive,
have enjoyed unprecedented adoption by parishes across America for a
single hymnal edition. Our plans to produce a revised version of Gather Comprehensive—Second Edition have prompted some feedback, and we are now planning instead a new edition called Gather—Third Edition.

Gather—Third Edition will
contain many new and revised Mass settings to coordinate with the
revised Order of Mass. In addition, GIA wishes to take advantage of the
many new titles which have been published since 2004 (when Gather Comprehensive—Second Edition was released) by including 75 new titles in the section of hymns and songs. This third edition of Gather
will retain the balance of the two previous editions of Gather
Comprehensive: approximately 70% piano/guitar based titles and 30%
organ-based.(Publisher's press release)

The above gives a good summary of what makes Gather distinct from Worship.

Our pew edition also had the Three-Year Lectionary readings. Core hymns were similar to W4. The different composition of Gather meant that we were given a guitar chord edition, a resource that would also function well as a lead sheet edition for a pianist. And, as I mentioned above with Worship's organist edition, could be used in conjunction with LSB in my tradition and congregation.A few other observations are in order. the Gather guitar edition makes up three spiral-bound volumes! Thinking creatively, this could be purchased and used as a Large Print edition of Gather! For hymns and songs in difficult (for guitar) keys, capo chords are suggested. Perhaps, for Gather: Fourth Edition, the melody could be provided in the capo chord keys for convenience on select songs and hymns.Gather does provide some hymns and songs in better keys for singing and accompaniment than my LSB. I'll take them to my music shelf at church for future use there on Sundays, Wednesdays, and festivals!Last year, we reviewed (http://lhpqbr.blogspot.com/2014/03/quick-summaries-marathon-look-at.html) an additional GIA hymnal:

Lead Me, Guide Me—Second Edition

This revision has been a long time coming, and we guarantee it will be
worth the wait. The project began some years ago with a discernment
meeting chaired by Archbishop Wilton Gregory and attended by a
distinguished group of African-American clergy, liturgists, musicians,
and GIA staff. It gave focus to the revision and spwned a core
committee consisting of Msgr. Raymond East, chariman; Robert Batastini,
project coordinator; Dr. James Abbington; Marcia Berry; Richard Cheri;
Dr. Norah Duncan IV; Sr. Joan Angela Edwards, SSM; Kenneth Louis; and
Fr. J-Glenn Murray, SJ.
While the original Lead Me, Guide Me was subtitled "The
African-American Catholic Hymnal," the new edition recognizes that many
communities, while being predominantly African-American, are in fact
significantly multicultural. Lead, Me Guide Me II will be
significantly expanded from the original in that it will include the
full breadth of African American church music that is suitable for
Catholic worship, a representative selection of music from Africa and
the Caribbean, and a large cross-section of the common Catholic
repertoire of our day. The latest music editing advances have enabled
significant strides toward printing the music to reflect performance
practices in the African American church more than in the first edition
of this hymnal.The new LMGM will have a complete three-year set of Lectionary psalms composed by some of today's finest African American composers.(Publisher's press release)

One of the great blessings of all three hymnals is a common musical setting for Mass. We have now seen it in Lead Me, Guide Me II (98ff), Worship IV (202ff), and Gather III (166ff). We would love to see how this is presented in GIA's bilingual hymnal.

This is good, right, and salutary! Generations of Lutherans in America have benefited from the Common Service and a few common ways of singing the texts of the liturgy. I could imagine an edited version of this GIA common setting for the Order of Mass. being made available for Lutheran, Anglican, and Episcopal congregations by GIA in the near future.

Rev.
Paul J Cain is Pastor of Immanuel, Sheridan, Wyoming, Headmaster of Martin
Luther Grammar School and Immanuel Academy, a member of the Board of Directors of The Consortium for
Classical and Lutheran Education, District Education Chairman and Editor of Lutheran Book Review. A graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Rev. Cain is a
contributor to Lutheran Service Book,
Lutheranism 101, the forthcoming LSB Hymnal Companion, and is the author
of5 Things
You Can Do to Make Our Congregation a Caring Church. He has
previously served Emmanuel, Green River, WY and Trinity, Morrill, NE. He is
married to Ann and loves reading and listening to, composing, and making music.

to decide whether a resource is worth your time, money, storage space, or trouble.

+/ Farrel is a prolific author. That's not always a good thing. Personally, I prefer quality over quantity. That said, Farrel's new title could provide ample, encouraging, and positive discussion topics for men already in relationship with one another, and could help bridge the gap between acquaintances or those new to a men's Bible class group. Decision Theology (16) must be rejected based on the complete context of Joshua 24, John 15:16 in context, and Romans' description of human nature. I can appreciate the point of the joke on 58ff, but it becomes a distraction away from the point of planning. Readers could benefit from this title. Consider alternatives from Concordia and Lutheran Hour Ministries.

- - An unsolicited title, One Hope failed to give me hope in the current incarnation of the ecumenical movement. Co-published by Liturgical Press and Augsburg Fortress, I find the title Biblically, theologically, practically, and confessionally inadequate for use by a Confessional Lutheran. Even signers of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification (5) will be dissatisfied at the lack of depth, naive expectations of joint prayer (and possible sharing of the Sacrament of the Altar), childish discussions of prayer, and content that is disrespectful of the Lutheran Reformation and the Council of Trent. To paraphrase Luther himself, "Even a seven-year-old child" could tell you this title is not worth your time nor the paper it is printed on. I am personally embarrassed for both publishers given the good I have seen from both historically.

/ Also unsolicited, Wolterstorff's The God We Worship: an exploration of liturgical theology will encourage confessional Lutherans to persist in faithfully using our evangelically-edited received version of the historic western Christian liturgies for Divine Service and the Daily Office. "No liturgy has ever been composed from scratch." He will help readers to mine the truth of his simple sentence. Readers will be challenged by references to liberal theologians (2), and will have their patience tested with a Webster definition for worship (23) instead of better ones from Scripture, and talk of Eucharist as memorial (147ff). This title deserves a second read from this reviewer and will receive one in the near future. Look for more from me on this title "After Further Review..."

/+ We previously reviewed another title by author Israel Wayne in Quick Summaries (http://lhpqbr.blogspot.com/2014/07/quick-summaries-mark-questions.html). Our previous experience guided our expectations with this title to be as modest. We commend the author's encouragement toward proper priorities (43ff), yet we will always reject any act of the human will toward accepting Christ (47) as unacceptable and contrary to the Biblical teaching of conversion (see Acts 2). Discussions about healing (51) and demons (73) are too brief and ambiguous to be truly helpful. The author shines in a brief overview of proper vs. improper Bible interpretation (116ff) and in positively quoting Dr. Luther (132). Law and Gospel need to be more carefully distinguished throughout, especially on 171-2.

+ Joe Thorn's Crossway title, Experiencing the Trinity: The Grace of God for the People of God, was one of the better titles we read for this QS. The introductory comments (19) on the depth of our sinfulness in the light of Scripture could have been much stronger and clearer. The forgiveness of sins in Christ alone is central and clear to this 140-page paperback as well as the doctrine of the Trinity. Thorn succeeds in making a book about the attributes/qualities of God interesting, catechetically helpful and comprehensible. The Father and Son are primarily identified by Who each Person is and what each Person does. The Holy Spirit is primarily described by active verbs. Insightful, concise, and helpful.

+ We pray because the Lord commands us to pray. That's law. We also pray because Jesus invites us to pray. We address Our Father as dear children address their dear father. William Philip's treatise on prayer "focuses us on four blessing-filled reasons that will help us want to pray" (back cover, emphasis original). We pray because 1) God Is a Speaking God; 2) We are Sons of God; 3) God Is a Sovereign God; 4) We Have the Spirit of God. Writing from Glasgow, Scotland, Lutherans will note Calvinist terminology in #3. The insights of this title, noted by Foreword author Alistair Begg, are worth the read. I will share Philip's critique of unbiblical ideas about prayer by Christians with my Sunday morning Bible class.

+ Luther spoke of the "things of earth" as good First-Article-of-the-Apostles'-Creed gifts. Rigney, influenced by John Piper, has as his goal to remind Christians that every good and perfect gift comes from heaven above. Jump to page 26. I reacted negatively to "Christian Hedonism" when I was at the university. I believe this terminology may be too-easily misunderstood. I'm also a Lutheran, not a Calvinist reader/reviewer (cf. 27). The core of the book is "The Gospel Solution to Idolatry," (95-115). The solution of Scripture and the author is to not confuse Creator with His gifts of creation. Ultimately, I read this as a book of vocation. Christians should embrace who they are in Christ and should keep all of the created gifts of God in use according to their intended vocations.

+/ A necessary book, Oliver Olson's Reclaiming Lutheran Confirmation is a worthy second Blue Paper following Reclaiming the Lutheran Liturgical Heritage (http://lhpqbr.blogspot.com/2010/01/liturgy-hymnody-review-reclaiming.html). Like other reviewers, I found much of value for LCMS Lutherans to contemplate. I did, however, feel at times that I was not the original intended audience for this publication, that I was listening in to the latest episode in a generations-long conversation among Lutherans of the ELCA, its predecessor bodies, and its "successor" bodies. It helped me better understand a grown woman who is a member of my congregation who asked for a "Catechism Class." She had received a "Confirmation Class" back in her youth, but learned little about Luther's Small Catechism and nothing of his Large Catechism. Our class will conclude by Christmas. "Christians must be taught." Luther knew this when he wrote the 95 Theses and provided the tools to future generations in his catechisms.

++ If your budget allows for only one of the brief titles reviewed here, make What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality by Kevin DeYoung the title you buy. Last summer, on the Sunday after the revolutionary Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex so-called "marriage" in the United States, I made extensive use of Appendix 3 in my sermon. The main question of the book is this: Is homosexual activity a sin that must be repented of, forsaken, and forgiven, or, given the right context and commitment, can we consider same-sex sexual intimacy a blessing worth celebrating and solemnizing. The author answers based on Scripture, not political correctness. A final pithy sentence: ""The challenge before the church is to convince ourselves as much as anyone that believing the Bible does not make us bigots, just as reflecting the times does not make us relevant" (143). The Crossway website will provide you with a free study guide for the book.

Rev.
Paul J Cain is Pastor of Immanuel, Sheridan, Wyoming, Headmaster of Martin
Luther Grammar School and Immanuel Academy, a member of the Board of Directors of The Consortium for
Classical and Lutheran Education, District Education Chairman and Editor of Lutheran Book Review. A graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Rev. Cain is a
contributor to Lutheran Service Book,
Lutheranism 101, the forthcoming LSB Hymnal Companion, and is the author
of5 Things
You Can Do to Make Our Congregation a Caring Church. He has
previously served Emmanuel, Green River, WY and Trinity, Morrill, NE. He is
married to Ann and loves reading and listening to, composing, and making music.

to decide whether a resource is worth your time, money, storage space, or trouble.

+/ Possibly useful to liturgical, confessional Lutheran congregations, English Proper Chants provides Entrance Antiphons and Communion Antiphons for each liturgical proper for Mass in the Roman Missal. LCMS cantors, pastors, or choirs could sing the simple yet sublime antiphons to bookend Psalms used as the Introit, Gradual, or Offertory of the Day. Intended for the Three-Year Lectionary, they could be adapted for the Historic One Year Lectionary. Accompaniment is available and beautiful, yet optional. This is an intentional "adaptation of Gregorian chant for use with English texts..."

/ I found more to appreciate than I expected to in Sing of the World Made New: Hymns of Justice, Peace and Christian Responsibility. Six sections make up the spiral-bound collection: Creator and Creation, Peace and Reconciliation, Justice and Human Need, Dignity and Diversity, Commitment and Service, Hope and Expectation. I was familiar with a few Taize titles that I could/would use, a beloved (yet difficult in so many ways) text/tune "Weary of All Trumpeting," the familiar "Hail to the Lord's Anointed," "God of Grace and God of Glory," "For the Fruit of All Creation," "For All the Faithful Women," "When Israel Was in Egypt's Land," and "How Clear Is Our Vocation, Lord." The hymns I have cited above are currently in Lutheran Service Book or one of its predecessor hymnals or supplements. Some were included in the current LCMS hymnal because of their confession of the core of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ and the Gospel. This collection may yet yield a few tunes or texts that wear well and fill gaps in current hymnals, but many are far too mainline progressive or politically correct for my taste.

- / Songs Unchanged, Yet Ever-Changing: 50 Hymn Texts
by Jacque B. Jones includes strong hymns on historic, Biblical
Christian themes like "I Am the Bringer of Living Water," "Peace of God
Beyond our Knowing," and an unique hymn about Peter from his denials of
Christ to restoration by Christ, "Seeking Warmth from Charcoal
Blazing." Such hymns are in the same collection as others celebrating
the ordination of women in the United Methodist Church (102-3),
"celebrating religious diversity and encouraging interfaith
communications" (24-5), and an overall sensitivity to "social justice
issues" (4, passim).

+ GIA is to be commended for publishing the hymns and carols of Carl Schalk. The latest collection, Sing with All the Saints, features 21 hymns and carols with texts by Herbert Brokering, William Cowper, Timothy Dudley-Smith, Paul Gerhardt, John Mason Neale, David Rogner, and Jaroslav Vajda, among many others. Schalk succeeds as a hymn tune composer because of his memorable melodies that strike the right balance between pleasing predictability and Brokering-like singable surprise. My favorite was the Gerhardt text, "Commit Thy Way, Confiding," set to Schalk's WEST SEATTLE. Pick up a set for your choir!

Rev.
Paul J Cain is Pastor of Immanuel, Sheridan, Wyoming, Headmaster of Martin
Luther Grammar School and Immanuel Academy, a member of the Board of Directors of The Consortium for
Classical and Lutheran Education, District Education Chairman and Editor of Lutheran Book Review. A graduate of Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Rev. Cain is a
contributor to Lutheran Service Book,
Lutheranism 101, the forthcoming LSB Hymnal Companion, and is the author
of5 Things
You Can Do to Make Our Congregation a Caring Church. He has
previously served Emmanuel, Green River, WY and Trinity, Morrill, NE. He is
married to Ann and loves reading and listening to, composing, and making music.

Contributors and Reviewers are identifiedat the end of each signed article or review.

Note:Unsolicited titles will be considered for review based on the time our volunteer reviewers have available,how interested we believe our readers would be in the unsolicited resource in The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: LBR received these books or other resources free from the publisher. We were not required to write a positive review. The opinions we have expressed are our own.

While every effort was made to be as accurate and objective as possible, inevitably, the opinions of the authors of various articles and reviews will surface, and individually, we take full responsibility for them. Opinions expressed are those of the individual contributors, and may not necessarily reflect that of the LCMS, the Wyoming District, or LBR.